Jolly Good Fellow
by witchcastle
Summary: When Mark and Maureen are abandoned by their significant others they celebrate New Years together and Mark does some drunken reflecting...mostly friendship postRENT


**Jolly good fellow**

Disclaimer – As always they belong to Mr.Larson whose complex characters keep feeding my head. Peace out!

Notes – This is a post rent which is mostly Mark/Maureen friendship but lots of fun. It was going to be much longer but it ran out of steam. If all else fails, make it a one shot!

It was New Years Eve!

Mark Cohen was smiling to him self as the fireworks roared overhead.

He was a little drunk but that was her fault.

She insisted that they chug back everything.

He couldn't see her at the moment as she'd been looking for a midnight kiss since Joanne was unavailable; her mother was sick forcing her to be away from her girlfriend for New Years.

Mark was being no fun and loyal to his girlfriend Kate who had to work.

He smiled as he thought of her his soft spoken, petite and sexy blonde who was nothing like Maureen.

His heart was safe with Kate.

'Mark!' Maureen was waving wildly at him and he went towards her.

'Let's go get some shots!' she grinned pulling on his arm.

'Mo your already tanked. Maybe you should take a break.' He suggested casually.

'Marky it's New Year, if you going to get smashed now would be the time to do it. It only happens once a year, come on! I'll pay!'

Mark grinned. 'Well in that case.'

He followed her through the thick crowd only stopping to tell Roger and Mimi where they were. The couple didn't seem to be very interested, the only thing they seemed to find interesting was each others mouths.

He smiled at them, they were so happy. Mimi was finally clean and glowing for it. They had plans to travel next year and Mark hoped they got to do it.

They deserved it.

Maureen found a cheap and nasty bar and bought them a couple of rounds.

She kept checking her watch.

Mark rolled his eyes. 'Give it a break will you your not gonna get a kiss! And you know Jo wouldn't be happy if you snogged some other woman.'

Maureen raised an eyebrow at him. 'It doesn't have to be a woman.'

'No.' Mark replied and threw back another shot.

It was awful.

The room was a bit wobbly but she was right about one thing, now was the time to get drunk.

'Come on Mark please, just one little peck, I did buy you all these drinks.'

Mark rolled his eyes, there was little time left and he knew Maureen was probably going to smack one on him even if he didn't say yes.

May as well pretend to be willing.

'Fine; no tongue.'

She grinned and kissed him.

'It's not New Years yet and you have to agree to the no tongue rule.' Mark ordered her.

Maureen scoffed. 'As if, I'm buying your kiss here it's going to have tongue.' She cocked her head. 'Come on Mark you have great tongue action, why not show it off?'

Mark crossed him arms. 'You made it perfectly clear you didn't need any of my action when you left me for a woman.' He retorted.

'That's a low blow and on New Years! Your punishment might be two kisses.' Maureen tried to look hurt but gave up and threw back another shot.

'Anyway it wasn't you Marky, it was me.'

'Uh huh story of my life.' He grinned. 'So things are good with you two?'

Mark really liked Joanne, he felt better knowing Maureen was with someone not because they could bench press more than him.

He then thought Joanne might be up to the challenge.

Not the best chain of thought for his ego.

It had been over a year and he was over it, he was in a relationship after all.

Kate was a great girl, ticked all the boxes.

Not always available but still great.

Maureen shrugged. 'It's fine, we are just having fun you know? That's what I need to have fun and Jo's happy with that.'

Mark raised an eyebrow, that didn't sound like something Jo would be even remotely happy about.

He remembered an earlier conversation with Mimi who had been concerned they'd been having problems but Mark had just put it down to their explosive relationship.

They had always been that way, but Mark could understand it could get to a point where it was too hard to cope. Mark hoped for their sake that they could keep it together.

He'd got used to his friends being happy.

The countdown begun and Mark obliged her and gave her a good kiss.

He made good use of his tongue in the way he knew she liked and he wondered if anyone else knew to kiss her like that.

'Marky.' She breathed when he let her go.

'Satisfied?' He asked and turned back to the fresh shot on the bar.

Maureen grinned. 'Happy New Year, Mark Cohen.' And she kissed him again then turned to the bar tender.

'Yo excuse me! Bald man! Can we have some more shots over here please?' She demanded and the bar tender raised an eyebrow at her.

'Maureen that's not very nice.'

'Lighten up Mark its all in good fun.'

The bar tender obliged and Maureen slapped a fifty down.

'Maureen! Where is all this money coming from?'

'Dad.' Maureen said like it was obvious.

Mark nodded. 'Right I forgot about Daddy's pocket money. Does he know it's for a booze up?'

'Look I keep him on a strictly need to know basis, you know?' Maureen shrugged and suddenly gripped the bar.

'Wow it's all really starting to kick in!' She grinned.

Mark raised an eyebrow. 'Maybe you should sit down.'

Maureen nodded and clambered onto a bar stool.

'Tell me about Kate.' She ordered.

Mark shrugged. 'What do you want to know?'

'Everything, how she kisses you, what her favourite food is, are you going to marry her?'

'Ok slow it down! Maureen we've barely gone out a year.' Mark wiped his brow. 'Look she's great, an excellent kisser and her favourite food is sushi…'

Maureen made a face. 'What?'

'Sushi, it's Japanese.' Mark explained patiently.

'Is she part Japanese?'

Mark laughed. 'No, she lived there for a year.'

Maureen nodded. 'Ok what else?'

'Her family is really nice and yeah I can see myself with her for a long time but that's all so far.'

Maureen nodded.

'Well I like her, I think you should marry her and have some babies Mark.'

Mark grinned. 'Are you giving me permission, Mo?'

'Maybe, only if you want it. And more to the point I'll stop trying to set you up with Joanne's friends.'

_Thank god. _Mark thought. _It had been a disaster every time._

Maureen laughed at the look of relief on his face.

'Oh Mark Cohen I love you.' And she kissed him again.

Soon she was so wasted he had to carry her ten blocks home; he met Collins along the way who had only come out for a countdown. Mark felt guilty he hadn't been around to give his old friend a hug. Collins rarely went out anymore, he put it down to being tired but Mark could tell he was giving up. Mark really hoped his friend found something to live for soon.

Kate had left him a message on his answering machine.

'Hello Mark Cohen, Happy New Year, you better make it a good one. I love you.'

Mark felt for him, at least, it could be a jolly good one.

And didn't he deserve it.

The end

Please review! I love writing crazy Maureen that girl is a hell of a lot of fun! And Mark's a good sport. I'm thinking about writing more about Kate.

Please review! Thanking you!


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